B.J. Penn still satisfied with decision to retire from MMA

When former double-divisional UFC champion B.J. Penn decided to walk away from Mixed Martial Arts after a loss to Nick Diaz last October the public opinion was fairly uniform in believing the 32-year old had not only retired too soon but would also likely go back on his decision after having time to recover from the emotional sting of defeat. However, six months later and is still not wavering.

“At the moment I don’t have any plans to fight. I have nothing scheduled. I’m just taking it easy, kind of enjoying life. As of right now I’m not entering the Octagon anytime soon,” said Penn in an interview with Fuel TV after this weekend’s UFC on Fuel 2 event.

“These guys are the top athletes in the world. And it takes a lot of time and a lot of energy to compete with these people,” he continued.

Fortunately, Penn didn’t fully rule out the possibility his mind might change at some point, even mentioning his belief he could still compete as a welterweight with a few tweaks in his training.

“We’ll see how it goes. It does feel good all the fans ask me to come back. We’ll see. No one knows what the future holds,” the popular Hawaiian explained with a smile.

Penn holds an overall record of 16-8 with bouts in a variety of weight-classes with the bulk of his success coming at 155/170 pounds. Among the opponents the surefire Hall of Famer fighter has beaten are Kenny Florian, Diego Sanchez, Renzo Gracie, Sean Sherk, and Matt Hughes.

Check out the complete interview below:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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MMATraining Take: Penn is kidding himself if he thinks he can come back and shine at 170 pounds. “The Prodigy” is certainly talented but Diaz wiped the mat with him and his overall record is average at best in the division. However, at 155 he’s a beast, so if he does indeed decide to return to the ring I hope it goes down in a way beneficial to his legacy rather than potentially tainting it.